194 ON OIL GLOBULES, ETC. IN THE ALBUMEN OF THE COCOA-NUT. 



were also to be perceived very fine acicular shaped crystals occupying, 

 and likewise irregularly distributed over the walls of the cells. These 

 crystals, doubtless those of stearine, disappeared under the microscope, 

 when gradual heat was applied, and were even lost altogether for some mi- 

 nutes, until the temperature became so much reduced as to cause them 

 to be again deposited. By this process the stearine in the cells assumed 

 a much more definite and regular crystalline appearance. The globules 

 of oil (Elaine) are altogether independent of the acicular crystals above 

 described. In the larger globules of oil, formed of numerous aggre- 

 gated smaller ones, which w r ere pressed out by enclosing the sections of 

 the nut between the two slips of glass for examination, there were to 

 be distinctly observed numerous plates or flakes of stearine of a still more 

 regular crystaline form. These likewise were found to disappear when 

 heat was cautiously applied, by radiation from a heated portion of metal 

 held within an inch or more of the object as it lay on the field of the 

 microscope, and became again deposited as the substance regained its 

 former temperature. 



From the facts mentioned above, and from the manner in which the 

 examination was conducted for several successive times, I think there can 

 be no question that the opinion of Mr. J. T. Cooper and Mr. T. Sturge 

 is correct, and can at any time be satisfactorily demonstrated with a 

 good quarter of an inch achromatic object-glass, by pursuing the course 

 of manipulation just described. 



Explanation of Plate XI, Div. 1. 



Fig. 1. Globules of oil, formed by the aggregation of a multitude of smaller oil- 

 globules, which have escaped from the cells (2.) of the albumen. 



Fig. 2. A longitudinal section of the albumen of the cocoa-nut, exhibiting its cel- 

 lular structure, and the globules of oil free within the cells. Fine needle-shaped 

 crystals (?) also occupying the interior of the cells, which are supposed to be those 

 of stearine, but are more evident in the globules of oil, Fig. 1, where they have ag- 

 gregated together in a more definite and apparent crystaline state. 



Fig. 3. Fasciculi of needle-shaped crystals of stearine which have escaped from 

 the broken extremities of the cells, and have arranged themselves in the water as 

 here exhibited. 



Fig. 4. Acicular crystals of stearine, which appeared of a more definite form, after 

 applying radiated heat from a piece of hot iron held for a few moments within half 

 an inch of the slide. 



